It had been almost 2 weeks since Allegra called Dean to tell him she failed and was going to stay away. He tried to reach out to her in every possible way he could think of and even contacted Sheriff Mills to put out a missing person report on her. But it looked like Allegra fell off the face of the Earth. Just disappeared into thin air. She was good at that. Running from demons since she was a teenager, traveling from place to place... If anything, Dean had only made her better at it. He taught her how to fall off the grid completely, just like his dad taught him.

"Alley, please... Come back. There's no need to run anymore. Cas is... H-He's gone. Dead. He can't hurt you anymore."

Dean's breath caught in his throat as he remembered Castiel. The Angel had continued his killing rampage after facing Allegra, but something in him had snapped, and he'd returned to them, asking for help. The plan had been to put the souls back in Purgatory, but it had been too late. Castiel hadn't just sucked in souls, but these beings called Leviathans as well. They were the ones messing with his mind, trying to take over. 
They succeeded. They got out, spreading into the area through the pipes of a nearby water reservoir. And Castiel had died, leaving only that stupid trench coat of his behind. Dean kept the damn thing in the trunk of the Impala. He didn't know why.

They were trying to track the Leviathans, but so far, everything was quiet. And even if they could track them down, how the hell would they kill the bastards? Allegra seemed like the most plausible option, being what she was. But she had already faced them head-on when they were all still in Castiel, with the Staff of Moses to give her the extra juice too. It still hadn't been enough. In other words, they were screwed... again.
And then there was that other problem.

"Sam's not okay. Wall's cracked, I think. He's having hallucinations. So you see, we really need you... I need you."

Dean looked around Allegra's bedroom, hoping that might've done it, but the redhead still didn't show. He dropped on the chair at the desk and took his phone back. He scrolled through his gallery, searching for the picture he took of her years ago. It was the only one he had. He never even told Allegra about it. Nor had he given her the present he bought in town. It just never felt like the right time. Now he wished he'd done everything differently. 
Dean was about to push the call button on his cell to leave her message number 713 or something, when his brother stormed into the room.

"Dude, what the...?!"

Sam quickly shushed him and put his own cell between them, pressing the speaker button.

"How do you know about my hallucinations?" 

"Dean mentioned it."

Dean's eyes widened. He would recognize that voice anywhere. Allegra... So, she was listening to him! But why the hell was she calling his brother and not him? Just as he was about to pry the phone away from him, Sam gave Dean a warning look and held the cell closer to his mouth.

"You haven't talked to Dean since that call you made, Allegra. And he didn't know then."

"Just because I've gone deep-six doesn't mean I've forgotten you all. I listen to the voicemails and... and don't change the subject! What's all this about hallucinations? Since when do you have them?"

"N-Not very long..."

"You're gonna have to do better than that, Sam. What do you see?"

Dean threw his hands up at Sam's hesitation. His brother shuffled back a little in an awkward manner.

"Just stuff," he replied.

"Sam, either you tell me what or who you're seeing, or I'm hanging up right now, and you can figure it out on your own!"

Well, obviously, Allegra wouldn't take Sam's crappy answer and leave it at that. Dean was growing tired of this useless game of ping-pong. He grabbed Sam's arm and leaned in to snarl in a hushed voice.

"Will you stop playing 20 questions and answer her?!"

But Sam pressed his lips together, reluctant to reveal anything at all about what he was seeing. Dean snatched his brother's cell away, pressed the speaker button again to shut it off, and put the phone at his ear.

"Alley, it's me. Don't hang up, please listen. You have to come back. If not for me, then for Sammy. You know he's too stubborn to admit he needs help, but he does. If anyone can help him, it's you. Come home, please."

He heard a sigh and held his breath.

"Do you remember Portland?" asked Allegra softly

"Portland? Like in Oregon? Where we had the dragon case?"

"The Pines Motel. Come alone. If you're not there by midnight tomorrow, I'm gone."

The line went dead. 

'What did she say?" asked Sam. "Is she coming back? Do we meet her in Portland? Dean!'

Without so much as a word, Dean turned to put his brother's phone back into his hand and then pushed Sam out of Allegra's room, closing the door on him. He scanned the room for everything Allegra might need; the backpack from the back of her closet with some clothes in it, her leather jacket, other personal stuff... At the last moment, he also put the papyrus scroll and her notes on the prophecy in, thinking she may want it close to her. 
Sam waited outside the room, but Dean just brushed past him and stormed down the stairs. He ignored his brother's pleas to talk to him and Bobby's indignant yell as he pushed him aside in the hallway and went straight outside. Dean dropped Allegra's pack on the passenger seat as he got into the Impala and turned the ignition. By the time Sam and Bobby followed him outside, he was leaving the salvage yard behind, determined to get to her before she disappeared on him again like Cinderella at the ball.

***

The motel was quiet because of the low season. It's why Allegra chose to meet Dean there, despite the great distance. Fewer casualties in case anything went wrong. Well, that and the memories, of course. Portland would always be the place where they decided to make the jump.
The night lights were on. The curtains were drawn shut, and the door was closed with the key still in the lock. There was no TV on, no radio, nothing that made any noise except for the clock on the wall, ticking too fast to Allegra's liking. Only 15 minutes left before the stroke of midnight...

I shouldn't have done this. Even if he does get here in time, I can't risk staying too long. Those damn things are everywhere. God, what am I doing?!

After her call to Dean 2 weeks ago, Allegra made the Staff turn back into a serpent so it could protect itself and sent it to Hawaii, ordering it to slither into a volcano or something and lay low for now. She then ran from place to place, hiding at Crowley-approved safe houses. She convinced the demon to keep an eye out on the Winchesters and warn her whenever they were up to something. He only contacted her twice. Once to tell her that the boys dared to summon him so that he could tell them how to bind Death and make him kill Castiel (which had been a bust). And then again, to break the news the angel had somehow died, probably because he just couldn't handle the monsters within anymore.

Allegra had thought it was safe for her to return then, but the moment she set foot in South Dakota, they found her; Leviathans, the first of God's monsters. And they hadn't forgotten what she'd done to them whilst they'd been inside Castiel's body. She barely got away.
Since then, Allegra went all over the map, just like she'd done all those years before moving in with Bobby. Running, hiding... As long as she kept moving around, they couldn't find her. But there were times the bastards got lucky, and she had to fight her way out. She always managed to get away in the nick of time, but the day would come her luck was gonna run out. And meeting up with the man she loved in the Pines Motel in Portland, Oregon, was definitely taunting Lady Fortune.
The clock struck midnight. Allegra's body froze.

'If you're not there by midnight tomorrow, I'm gone.'

Her own words echoed in her head. She dropped her head, fists clenching in her lap.

"Don't do this to yourself," she said aloud. "It's better this way."

She got up but just when she was about to zap away, a car pulled up in the parking lot. Allegra rushed to the window when she saw the headlights and pushed the curtain aside a little. Her heart jumped when she recognized the black Chevy Impala. Her hand reached for the key so she could unlock the door, but then she hesitated. She told him she wouldn't wait. But... it was only a minute.

"Alley! Alley, I'm here, where are you?!"

Leave... Just leave, she willed herself. Don't put him in danger.

"Allegra!"

***

It couldn't be too late. It was barely a minute past midnight! How the hell could she be gone already?! Dean searched around furiously for any sign of Allegra, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Dammit!" he yelled and kicked the Impala's tire.

He put his hands on the roof of the car, fighting back his tears. How could she do this to him? Allegra must've known he would've done everything he could to get to her. But she couldn't even bother to wait one extra minute for him.

Don't be an idiot. If Allegra could've waited, she would've done so.

Fear crept up in Dean as he started to realize there was only one reason for her not waiting for him. She was in danger. She had to be. He had to find her.
Dean opened the door to the Impala to get back behind the wheel and search the entire state for her, but something stopped him from getting in. A warm, protective, blanket-like feeling. It touched him very briefly but long enough for Dean to recognize. It was... 
He looked up and saw an open door across from him. He reached into the car for Allegra's pack, slammed the car door shut, and ran to the motel room.

"Allegra? Alley, you in here?"

There was light on, so someone was definitely here. Dean cautiously moved further into the room. The door closed behind him, and he turned on his heels. A red-haired woman dressed in torn jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt stood before him. Golden eyes were looking straight at him.

"What the hell took you so long, Winchester?"

***

Allegra closed the door as soon as Dean walked into the room. God, she had missed those stupid flannel shirts he wore. And those jeans were so working for him! Even though she still believed this was the biggest mistake of her life, Allegra just couldn't leave. She had to be with him. Dean whirled around as soon as the door fell into the lock and froze when he saw her.

"What the hell took you so long, Winchester?" she asked, smiling weakly.

He appeared to be in some sort of trance, and Allegra suddenly feared it wasn't really Dean but one of those Leviathans. But then he dropped a backpack on the floor and crossed the distance between them in less than a heartbeat. Allegra fell against the door as he slammed his hand right next to her face.

"Don't you ever run off like that again! You got any idea what you put me through?! I've been worried sick about you!"

Before Allegra could say something in her defense, she was cut short by Dean's mouth roughly pressing against hers. She blinked at the angry lust and eagerness in the kiss and tried to pull herself away from him but was left utterly at his mercy. Dean's hand moved away from the door, and he pulled Allegra's body to him by her waist. His lips trailed down from her jawline, then further down the side of her neck to that sweet spot he liked to tease. She gasped.

"D-Dean, wait, wa..."

But Dean didn't listen. He used his body to pin Allegra against the door. His hands slipped under her shirt. She trembled at his touch. Oh God, why did he have such an effect on her?!

"Dean, hold on, just... Dean!"

The urgency in her voice finally made Dean stop. He drew back, a confused look in his eyes.

"Can we... Can we stop for a sec?" asked Allegra, a little flustered. "I need to talk to you first."

"What? You wanna..." Dean let go. "You made me drag my ass across the country against the freakin' clock, and all you wanna do is talk?!"

Allegra was deterred by his reaction. No, it wasn't all she wanted to do with him, but they had to discuss things first. Surely there was nothing wrong about that.

"Dean, that's not what I..."

"You wanna talk, you pick up the goddamn phone!" yelled Dean. "I'm not your toy, Allegra! If you wanted someone at your beck and call, you should've picked my brother! Snap your fingers, and I'm sure he'll come running like a good little boy!"

"What the hell are you talking about?! Why are you... Oh my God... seriously?!" Allegra pushed him away. "You're upset I called Sam instead of you?'

Dean scoffed and turned away from her, which just infuriated her. She zapped in front of him.

"You tell me Sam's mind wall is crumbling down, so, yeah, I call because I'm worried he's gonna go all Norman Bates on us again! But that does not mean I care more about Sam than I do about you! How can you possibly think that?!"

"I've been trying to get your attention for 2 weeks! I mention Sam once, and bam, there you are! What the hell do you expect me to think?!"

Unfreakin' believable!

"Dean, we have talked about this! I don't love Sam! I love you; you know that! I stayed away to protect you!"

"I don't need your protection, Allegra!"

"The hell you do! I faced Castiel and failed! I couldn't risk returning to you; he was gonna kill both of us!" Angry tears welled up in her eyes. "I tried to come back when he died, I swear, but the Leviathans found me at the state border, and I had to run again! If Crowley hadn't..."

"Crowley?! You still dancing to that bastard's tune?!"

"We have a deal, Dean! He's helping me hide, and he's been keeping an eye on you too!"

"Oh, that is just perfect! What else have you been doing on your little vacation?! Spa day in Hell? Lucifer and Michael still in their Cage? 'Cause that all-powerful Super-angel would sure be one way of getting rid of those Leviathans!"

Allegra's hand struck Dean's cheek. She hadn't meant for it to be that hard. She just wanted him to stop saying those awful things to her. It did, however, have the desired effect 'cause Dean kept his mouth shut. An eery silence fell between the couple. 
Dean sighed. He sounded tired. Of course he would be after racing against the clock. But that was no excuse. He seemed to realize he crossed the line and reached for Allegra, but she shook her head and took a step back. The tears she had in her eyes before were gone.

"Allegra, please, I didn't mean that," said Dean. "Let's... Okay, let's sit and talk, and we'll..."

"No, Dean. You've said plenty already. More than enough, even. And what's worse, you meant every word."

In the blink of an eye, she stood behind him, bending down to pick up her backpack.

"Thank you for this," she said without looking at him. "Tell Bobby I appreciate everything he's done for me."

"Allegra, wait, don't..."

"Goodbye, Dean"

***

"Of all the stupidest, dumbest, moronic, and crappiest things you have pulled, this has got to be the worst by far! How the hell could you let this happen, you knucklehead?! No, scratch that, I know why; 'cause you're a damn idiot!"

Dean groaned and rubbed his eyes. He was so tired from the drive to and from Portland, it was a miracle he hadn't fallen asleep behind the wheel. He'd tried to sleep at the motel after Allegra had left, but their fight kept playing over and over in his mind, driving him crazy. Fatigue, frustration, and guilt were not a good combo. Bobby yelling at him on top of all that? Deadly combo.

"I know, Bobby. I screwed up."

"Well, I'm glad you got some sense left in you! Call her up, and apologize to her a thousand, no, a million times. You get down on your knees to beg that girl to come back here. 'Cause we are dead meat without her. Especially your brother."

Dean's head jerked up.

"Sammy? Something happen while I was gone?"

"It's getting worse. He's trying to act all brave like it don't matter, but I noticed. We need Allegra back, pronto."

"She won't come if I ask her. Sam should call her instead."

"You know as well as I do he doesn't wanna admit he needs help," said Bobby with a huff. "It'll be too late by the time he does."

"Well, you call her then!"

"I'm not the one who screwed up here, boy! Fix it! Or I'll fix you!"

Bobby slammed the door to the garage shut. Dean took a deep breath, sat back down in his car, and leaned his head against the seat. Suddenly, the cassette he'd been listening to on the drive back started playing again. Which was really strange, considering the car was completely shut off. Dean moved to stop the music, but his hand froze mid-air as he realized which song was playing. Her song... 

"Allegra, I don't know if you can hear me. Maybe you've shut me out like you did with the angels. I just... I need to... I don't..."

But he couldn't find the words. So instead of trying to come up with something himself, he sang along to the song Allegra loved and hoped she was listening.